THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL ECONOMY, BUDGETS AND ADMINISTRATION
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Thursday, October 8, 2020
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration met this day by videoconference at 11:00 a.m. [ET], pursuant to rule 12-7(1), in consideration of financial and administrative matters; and, in camera, pursuant to rule 12-7(1), in consideration of financial and administrative matters.
Senator Sabi Marwah (Chair) in the chair.
(The committee continued in camera.)
(The committee resumed in public.)
The Chair: Good morning, everyone. My name is Sabi Marwah, I’m a senator from Ontario and I have the honour to chair the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.
I would like to introduce the senators who are participating in this meeting: Senator Robert Black, Ontario; Senator Tony Dean, Ontario; Senator Renée Dupuis, Quebec; Senator Éric Forest, Quebec; Senator Josée Forest-Niesing, Ontario; Senator Raymonde Gagné, Manitoba; Senator Mobina Jaffer, British Columbia; Senator Elizabeth Marshall, Newfoundland and Labrador; Senator Yonah Martin, British Columbia; Senator Lucie Moncion, Ontario; Senator Jim Munson, Ontario; Senator Ratna Omidvar, Ontario; Senator Kim Pate, Ontario; Senator Don Plett, Manitoba; Senator Raymonde Saint-Germain, Quebec; Senator Judith Seidman, Quebec; Senator Larry Smith, Quebec; Senator Scott Tannas, Alberta; and Senator Pierre Dalphond, Quebec.
The first item, senators, is a copy of the public minutes and approval thereof. The minutes of September 24 are in your package. Are there any questions or changes? Can I have a mover for the following motion:
That the minutes of proceedings for Thursday, September 24, 2020, be adopted.
Senator Munson: So moved.
The Chair: It is moved by Senator Munson. Honourable senators, in order to determine if this motion is adopted, the clerk will proceed with a roll call vote. I would ask each senator to unmute their microphone once their name is called. Pascale, over to you.
Pascale Legault, Chief Corporate Services Officer and Clerk of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, Senate of Canada: Honourable senators, I will call the members’ names beginning with the chair and going in alphabetical order. Senators should indicate if they vote for, against or abstain. As simultaneous interpretation will be suspended during the vote, I will conduct the vote in both official languages.
The Honourable Senator Marwah?
Senator Marwah: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Black?
Senator R. Black: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Dean?
Senator Dean: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Dupuis?
The Honourable Senator Forest?
Senator Forest: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Gagné?
Senator Gagné: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Jaffer?
Senator Jaffer: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Marshall?
Senator Marshall: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Martin?
Senator Martin: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Moncion?
Senator Moncion: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Munson?
Senator Munson: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Pate?
Senator Pate: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Plett?
Senator Plett: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Saint-Germain?
Senator Saint-Germain: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Seidman?
Senator Seidman: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Smith?
Senator Smith: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Tannas?
Senator Tannas: Yes.
Ms. Legault: Mr. Chair, we have 16 “yeas.”
The Chair: Thank you. I declare the motion carried.
Colleagues, the next item is a request from the Joint Interparliamentary Council for additional funding to host the forty-eighth annual session of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie in Montreal, Quebec, from July 7 to July 12, 2022. Francis Drouin, Member of Parliament, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, Ontario, and Jeremy LeBlanc, Acting Clerk Assistant and Director General, International and Interparliamentary Affairs will now join the meeting by video conference as witnesses.
Senator Plett will also assist with this item. Are Mr. Drouin and Mr. LeBlanc on the call? Gentlemen, you may begin with any comments you have.
Senator Plett: Chair, if I could, I will make some opening comments.
The Chair: Absolutely.
Senator Plett: Before beginning, as the chair has already indicated, I want to introduce Mr. Drouin and Mr. LeBlanc. Mr. Drouin is the Chair of the Canadian branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie.
Although he will give you a detailed presentation of the request before you for the Parliament of Canada to host the forty-eighth annual session of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, I would like to inform you that the Joint Interparliamentary Council studied this proposal during its meeting held on July 15, 2020.
Being cognizant of JIC’s somewhat limited role in the review of requests for international conferences and that the spending authority for this conference rests here with our committee and with the House of Commons Board of Internal Economy, we still used the occasion of the July meeting to discuss the challenges involved when planning a large-scale international event in the era of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
To that end, the council gave direction that, in planning for this conference, Parliament should adjust to the ever-changing circumstances regarding COVID-19 and be prepared to revise the format of the conference to a virtual or partially virtual format if health restrictions prevail into July 2022.
The council also recommended that the conference planners ensure that contracts for resources, such as hotels, conference spaces, audiovisual, interpretation and transportation services contain appropriate escape clauses and that they be applicable to COVID-19 or other circumstances outside the control of the APF.
The council stands squarely behind the necessity for Canada to stay engaged in international parliamentary diplomacy, even in a time of a pandemic.
I should also note that members of the council were satisfied that the budget proposals presented to them were prepared in line with past practices and parameters for previous comparable conferences the Parliament of Canada has hosted.
As such, it was agreed that this proposal be brought to both this committee as well as to the House of Commons Board of Internal Economy.
With that, I would like to invite Mr. Drouin to take the microphone and offer any additional comments.
[Translation]
Francis Drouin, MP, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell: As Senator Plett mentioned, I’m here today to formally request that the Parliament of Canada host the forty-eighth annual session of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie. The executive committee of the Canadian branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, at its meeting on May 7, 2020, adopted a motion recommending that this proposal be considered by the Joint Interparliamentary Council.
As Senator Plett mentioned, on July 15, 2020, the Joint Interparliamentary Council considered the proposal and recommended it for your consideration, and for the consideration of the House of Commons Board of Internal Economy. If the BOIE and CIBA adopt this recommendation, it will be the third time the Canadian branch has hosted the annual session in the past 25 years. The Canadian branch has hosted the annual session each time, typically on an eight-year rotation, that it has held the international presidency of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, which will be the case from July 2022 to July 2024. The annual session of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie attracts between 350 and 500 delegates each year and offers an opportunity for Canada to demonstrate its leading role within the Francophonie.
Internationally, the Canadian section promotes our parliamentary expertise in all APF bodies and plays a leadership role. International parliamentarians often use our expertise to carry out important projects and seek our support and contribution to seminars, debates and training.
In addition, the Canadian section occupies many crucial roles within the APF, namely, the chair of the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, as well as five rapporteur positions which allow us to highlight Canadian priorities on important subjects such as cyberviolence against women and children, cooperation on climate change and the participation of young people in parliaments. In terms of the program, the annual session always starts on a Thursday and wraps up at the end of the day, on the following Tuesday. Consequently, the provisional dates which are being proposed are from July 7 to 12, 2022. The conference will consist of several elements: meeting of the bureau, session of the APF, which includes meetings of the Women’s Network of the APF and the Network for Young Parliamentarians, meetings of the commissions — for information purposes, there are four — and meeting of the plenary assembly. There will also be a program for accompanying persons and a ceremony for the awarding of l’Ordre de la Pléiade. The estimated budget before you has been reviewed and approved by the Canadian branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie and by the Joint Interparliamentary Council. Every effort has been made to reduce costs and every effort will be made, going forward, to protect the Parliament of Canada from risks associated with organizing events in the era of COVID-19. We are proposing that the funding be shared using the typical formula for such conferences, that being 30% for the Senate and 70% for the House of Commons, and that the Senate share, for the 2022-23 fiscal year be $329,103. If approved, this additional temporary funding request will be included in the Main Estimates for 2022-23. This assumes that there will be approximately 450 delegates and that temporary funding for the fiscal years of 2020-21, which would be $19,564, and 2021-22, which would be $124,671, would be absorbed from the anticipated budget surpluses of parliamentary associations.
In conclusion, I would like to thank you for your consideration of this request and for your time today. Canada has historically played a leading role on the international stage, and the COVID-19 global pandemic has done nothing if not remind us of the interconnected world in which we live and the necessity of having good relations with our neighbours and allies. I am now prepared to answer any questions that you may have.
[English]
Senator Martin: Thank you for your presentation and explanation of the opportunity for Canada to host for the third time, as well as the importance of this conference.
My question is regarding the choice of the venue or the city to host the conference and whether there may be considerations or, if it is already completed as to where it will take place in 2022, for future considerations to have it take place in certain parts of our country that really value the French language.
I’m a British Columbian and I know that in B.C., Maillardville, which is within the city of Coquitlam, is the oldest francophone community outside of Quebec, and, of course, New Brunswick is an official bilingual province. I was wondering about consideration for selecting the city for such conferences.
Mr. Drouin: Thank you, Senator Martin, for that particular question. I would be a bit of a hypocrite as a Franco-Ontarian to say that I wouldn’t have enjoyed having the conference outside of Quebec, but I know that Montreal has been a francophone city and world city trying to promote French language not only across Canada but across the world. I know that the budget already revolves around hosting the particular conference in Montreal.
I would defer to Mr. LeBlanc, if he has any further details he would like to add on that particular matter.
Jeremy LeBlanc, Acting Clerk Assistant and Director General, International and Interparliamentary Affairs, Senate of Canada: Thank you, Mr. Drouin.
All I would add is that ultimately, for these conferences, usually the executive of the association makes a recommendation as to where they feel they would like to host. Previous conferences of the APF that Canada hosted were held in Ottawa. This is an opportunity to host outside of Ottawa.
If selection was made for a different city, it would have budgetary impacts, as Mr. Drouin said. If there is a desire to change the venue, it would change the budget as well.
Senator Martin: Thank you. I love Montreal. It was an opportunity to highlight something in B.C. and elsewhere, but, yes, I feel it’s a wonderful opportunity for Canada.
The Chair: I see no other questions from senators, so I shall read out the motion:
That approval be granted to host the 48th Annual Session of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie in Montreal, in July 2022; and
That funding be approved as follows, excluding EBP:
$27,948 for 2020-2021
$178,101 for 2021-2022
$1,097,008 for 2022-2023
That the temporary funding for the fiscal years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 be absorbed from the anticipated budget surpluses of Associations;
That the funding be shared using the usual formula (30% Senate, 70% House of Commons) between the Senate ($390,917) and the House of Commons ($912,140).
Senator Plett, could you move the motion?
Senator Plett: I so move.
The Chair: Honourable senators, in order to determine if this motion is adopted, the clerk will proceed with a roll call vote.
Ms. Legault: Honourable senators, I will call the members’ names, beginning with the chair and then going in alphabetical order. Senators should indicate if they vote for, against or abstain. As simultaneous interpretation will be suspended during the vote, I will conduct the vote in both official languages.
The Honourable Senator Marwah?
Senator Marwah: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Black?
Senator R. Black: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Dean?
Senator Dean: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Dupuis?
Senator Dupuis: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Forest?
Senator Forest: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Gagné?
Senator Gagné: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Jaffer?
Senator Jaffer: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Marshall?
Senator Marshall: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Martin?
Senator Martin: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Moncion?
Senator Moncion: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Munson?
Senator Munson: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Pate?
Senator Pate: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Plett?
Senator Plett: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Saint-Germain?
Senator Saint-Germain: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Seidman?
Senator Seidman: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Smith?
Senator Smith: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Tannas?
Senator Tannas: Yes.
Ms. Legault: Mr. Chair, we have 17 “yes” votes.
The Chair: Thank you. I declare the motion carried.
Colleagues, the next item is a report from the Artwork and Heritage Advisory Working Group. Senator Bovey, chair of that group, will present the report. Accompanying her is Tamara Dolan, Curator, Heritage and Curatorial Services, who will also be joining via video conference.
Senator Bovey: Thank you, colleagues. It’s an honour to be here as chair of this advisory group to CIBA and to report on our activities, which started fast paced.
I want to thank CIBA steering for the funding that was accorded to us to start the wall honouring Canada’s Black artists, to support the Black Lives Matter movement and to give expression to this sector of Canada, which has never had works of art in the Senate of Canada before. We started with two artists, as you know, from Western Canada, who are Yisa Akinbolaji, an immigrant from Nigeria, and Chantal Gibson, who lives and teaches in Vancouver, was born in Quebec and has a long heritage in Halifax.
I won’t go into any more details — I spoke of that in the chamber — but I do want to say the response to this has been overwhelming and very humbling, from colleagues on Parliament Hill to folks across Canada, artists and non-artists. The international response has been phenomenal, which I wasn’t expecting. I want to thank CIBA and administration staff.
We ran into a couple of hitches, neither of which I expected. I did not realize that the hanging opportunities were put on that wall in the heritage building. I thought that was done during the construction of the Senate of Canada Building; it turns out it wasn’t. It has been now and is now good for the future. Second, unbeknownst to me — although I appreciate it from a security and risk point of view — we had to have intermediaries in Ottawa to receive the works. That was done. It was in the budget and covered by the Property and Services operating budget. But it is something I’m going to take into consideration as we move forward with future works of art coming to the Senate of Canada.
My job is to let you know what plans we have going ahead. As you know, the role of the committee is several-fold. A really critical one is the stewardship of the collection and public trust held by the Senate of Canada, and that includes conservation, proper storage and looking after the treasures we have in trust for and of Canadians. I am seeking approval from CIBA to contract work, for which the budget has already been approved, for conservation, for works of art and for heritage objects, $50,000 each.
For the painting conservation, the needs are critical. I think current museology would have had different stretchers on some of our heritage portraits. There are five paintings done in the 19th century of Speakers of the Senate where the stretcher is actually cutting into the back of the canvas itself. That needs to be fixed; the stretcher needs to be modified to mitigate future damage. We have to replace the lining in the canvases that have been torn. There are some losses and abrasions that need to be upgraded, and we need new varnish and reglazing to museological standards.
That’s the painting conservation — the $50,000.
The heritage objects include the desks at which we all sit in the chamber itself — that’s really important — and the case for the mace. This is for conservation to preserve these objects. Our working group is seeking approval from CIBA to contract the scope of work that had been forecasted in our budget for that.
I’m happy to answer any questions on that. Indeed, you have the report with you.
Now that we have moved and the collections are in the Senate of Canada Building or in storage, I would like to thank the staff for adding the flood controls in the storage areas so we’ll know if water gets into those areas.
Now that it’s done, our job is to increase the national voice, the accessibility and interpretation of the works. You’ll see that we had a project to invite 13 curators across Canada in different art and material history fields to write about works in the Senate collection. We will perhaps put that in a published document — time will tell — or certainly on the website. We’re looking at moving forward with that project.
Another thing, which is really important, is to make sure works that are in the Senate are representative of Canadians and of cultural groups within the country. To that end, we are looking to do a gap analysis of the Indigenous art that is hanging in the chamber to ensure that, going forward, we have the plans for future years to make sure that those installations are indeed representative of those voices across Canada. That’s one very important way we can reach out for reconciliation.
One other thing I’d like to draw to your attention is that there was a $5,000 unintentional expenditure dealing with restoration. It would seem that proper steps were inadvertently not followed. That has been corrected and drawn to your attention. I can assure you that, as a new committee — I guess this is the first time this working group has had a chair — we will be monitoring this and making sure such oversights don’t occur again.
Mr. Chair, that’s the summary of my report, and I look forward to any questions from any of my colleagues. Those I can’t answer, I’d be very happy to turn over to our curator.
The Chair: Thank you, Senator Bovey. We have several questions. Please be brief, senators. We only have a few minutes left, and we have two more items on the agenda.
Senator Jaffer: Senator Bovey, thank you for all the great work you’re doing. It’s very much appreciated.
One of the things I want to say to you, at the request of the Parliamentary Black Caucus, you acted so fast. I know there were personal resources as well that were spent by you. The leadership you showed is very much appreciated by the Black caucus. I want to thank you for that.
Senator Bovey: Thank you, senator. I appreciate that. It was an honour to do the work.
[Translation]
Senator Forest: Thank you for your work and for your report, Senator Bovey. Just out of curiosity, what was worth restoring? Was it a picture of one of our Speakers?
[English]
Senator Bovey: Senator, that’s a very good question. We do have a list of professional conservators we can turn to that, I understand, have been approved by procurement. We have been working with the Canadian Conservation Institute. As you know, the war paintings are being conserved right now in the War Museum so they can come back to Centre Block.
As far as determining which works need to be conserved, the condition reports should be ongoing. I believe it’s our responsibility to monitor the health and safety of all the works in our care, and that’s why these works have come to the fore; they are the ones showing the most concerning effects. But we are going to keep monitoring that on a regular basis.
Senator Munson: Thank you, senator. This is wonderful news, and you’re right that the feedback has been phenomenal. We certainly have had enough portraits and pictures of kings and queens from the United Kingdom and France that have wallpapered the Senate forever. This is long overdue.
In terms of your mandate, first, is it your group that will make the decisions on new portraits or paintings in the Senate of Canada Building and elsewhere? Second, would it include, for example, the Maud Lewis’s of the world, the Colvilles, the Group of Seven and others? Where will they fit within recognizing Canada?
Senator Bovey: Thank you, senator. In terms of the portraits, they are commissioned for each Speaker of the Senate. That is up to the Speaker; they choose the portrait artist they’d like to have do the portrait. I would like to see us put some criteria around that and make sure “the bank” of potential portrait painters does reflect artists across the country. That’s not limiting. I think it would be helpful to have it as an inclusive list.
In terms of the other work in the Senate, I think we do have a responsibility to take this international language, as spoken visually by artists, and make sure the nation’s represented. That’s why we’re starting with this gap for the Indigenous work first.
I do have ideas going forward, senator, about including works by other Canadian artists in the Senate, but I think that’s perhaps for another fiscal year. However, I would love to see greater engagement and it does not have to cost a lot. These are simple steps, inexpensive steps to get Canadians and the Senate interrelated.
The Chair: We have one last question from Senator Marshall and then we have to bring this to a close.
Senator Marshall: Thank you, Senator Bovey, for all the work that you and your committee are doing. How practical do you think your timelines are? Ottawa is now considered a hot spot. Do you still think you’ll get the work done in this fiscal year?
Senator Bovey: Good question. As you know, we have kept this first iteration of the wall for honouring Canada’s Black artists. This installation is up until the end of June, and I did take that into consideration.
Going forward, there may be shorter times when we’re all back to get more opportunities.
For the gap analysis, there are some very strong Indigenous curators in Ottawa who can do the work. The other work can be done virtually for this first step. So I am not concerned that COVID will hamper this year’s plans. We’ll monitor it going forward.
Senator Marshall: Thank you.
The Chair: I see no other questions. Pascale, if you can do a roll call vote, please. I move that the report be adopted.
Ms. Legault: Honourable senators, we will proceed in the same fashion as before.
The Honourable Senator Marwah?
Senator Marwah: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Black?
Senator R. Black: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Dean?
Senator Dean: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Dupuis?
Senator Dupuis: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Forest?
Senator Forest: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Gagné?
Senator Gagné: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Jaffer?
Senator Jaffer: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Marshall?
Senator Marshall: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Martin?
Senator Martin: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Moncion?
Senator Moncion: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Munson?
Senator Munson: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Pate?
Senator Pate: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Plett?
Senator Plett: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Saint-Germain?
Senator Saint-Germain: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Seidman?
Senator Seidman: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Smith?
Senator Smith: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Tannas?
Senator Tannas: Yes.
Ms. Legault: Mr. Chair, we have 17 “yes” votes.
The Chair: Thank you. I declare the motion carried.
Senators, we are past our allotted time of 1 o’clock. I suggest that we move items 14 and 15 to the next meeting unless senators want to carry on for the next five minutes? What are your thoughts, senators?
Senator Moncion: Carry on.
Senator Munson: If we can get this done, it would be good.
The Chair: I think Item 14 will take a minute. It’s a report from the Audit Subcommittee. Unfortunately, Senator Downe, who is the chair of the subcommittee, sends his regrets as he was invited to speak at the Rotary Club and could not be with us today. The report was circulated for information and he will be presenting the report as chair of the subcommittee at our next meeting. There is really not a whole lot to discuss. We might as well wait until we discuss it at the next meeting.
The last item, colleagues, is a report concerning a request made by Senator McPhedran about making the CIBA agenda public. Steering did consider this issue. We discussed it at fair length. Our recommendation is contained in the briefing note that is before you. Gerry, I think you had some comments you wanted to make?
Mr. Lafrenière: No, I think you just explained extremely well where we are. I would remind the committee that it had made decisions with respect to what documents were to be made public at its organizational meeting at the beginning, so this is basically revisiting that decision.
The Chair: Any questions on the recommendation that is before you, senators? I see no hands up, so could I have a mover for the following motion:
That the public portion of the agenda be published one hour before the start of the meeting on the CIBA web page.
Senator Tannas: I so move.
The Chair: Pascale, if you could proceed with the roll call vote, please.
Ms. Legault: Honourable senators, we will proceed in the same fashion as before.
The Honourable Senator Marwah?
Senator Marwah: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Black?
Senator R. Black: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Dean?
Senator Dean: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Dupuis?
Senator Dupuis: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Forest?
Senator Forest: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Gagné?
Senator Gagné: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Jaffer?
Senator Jaffer: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Marshall?
Senator Marshall: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Martin?
Senator Martin: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Moncion?
Senator Moncion: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Munson?
Senator Munson: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Pate?
Senator Pate: Abstain.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Plett?
Senator Plett: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Saint-Germain?
Senator Saint-Germain: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Seidman?
Senator Seidman: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Smith?
Senator Smith: Yes.
Ms. Legault: The Honourable Senator Tannas?
Senator Tannas: Yes.
Ms. Legault: Mr. Chair, we have 16 “yes” votes and one abstention.
The Chair: Thank you. I declare the motion carried. Colleagues, we will move on to the last item, which is other matters. Is there any other business that any senator wishes to raise? I see no hands up so, if not, the committee is now adjourned. Thank you again for coming.
(The committee adjourned.)